Bagdemagus. He was overjoyed to welcome Sir Lancelot, for well he
knew that none could overcome that good knight in combat. All day
there was music and dancing and feasting. Sir Lancelot, however,
could not be merry. He kept thinking of his nephew, Sir Lionel,
and wondering where he was.
On the morning of the tournament Sir Lancelot asked King
Bagdemagus to furnish him with a white shield, because he did not
want to be known. The king did so, and also gave each of the
three knights who rode with him a shield of the same color. Sir
Lancelot went with the knights into a little leafy wood near the
field where the tournament was to be held.
Meanwhile King Bagdemagus rode to the tournament with sixty men,
and met there the king of Northgalis with eighty men. They began
to fight, and soon those on the side of King Bagdemagus began to
be worsted. Then Sir Lancelot, with the three knights, dashed out
of the little wood and into the thick of the fight.
No one could stand against Sir Lancelot. One of King Arthur's
knights, Sir Modred, the brother of Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth,
was fighting against King Bagdemagus. Not knowing who Sir
Lancelot was, he rushed upon him. Sir Lancelot unhorsed him, but
would not hurt him, because he was a Knight of the Round Table.
Years afterward he was sorry he had not killed him, for Sir
Modred proved to be a traitor to King Arthur.
Sir Lancelot fought so well that, for his sake, all the prizes of
the tournament were given to King Bagdemagus, who was greatly
rejoiced, and offered large gifts to Sir Lancelot, and begged
him to be his guest for a time. But Sir Lancelot was so anxious
to find out what had become of Sir Lionel that he could not
remain. So the next day he set forth.
He rode back towards the clump of trees where he had fallen
asleep while Sir Lionel kept watch. On the highway he met a
damsel riding on a white palfrey.
"Fair damsel," said Sir Lancelot, "can you tell me of any
adventures hereabouts? I am Sir Lancelot of the Lake."
"Oh, Sir Lancelot," said she, "it is indeed fortunate that you
have come, for there is here a knight named Sir Turquaine who has
put in prison many of the knights of the Round Table. You shall
fight with him for the freedom of your friends."
Then she turned her horse, and Sir Lancelot gladly followed her.
She brought him to the tree on which hung the shields of his
brother knights. Sir Lancelot let his horse drink a little water,
and then he struck on the iron basin at the foot of the tree so
fiercely that the bottom fell out.
[Illustration: _"He struck so fiercely the bottom fell out"_]
No one appeared, however. Then he rode up to the castle of Sir
Turquaine. Near the gate he met the big knight. He was on foot,
driving his horse before him. On the horse lay a knight, securely
bound. Sir Lancelot recognized him as Sir Gaheris, the brother of
Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth.
"Put down the knight," said Sir Lancelot. "Mount and fight."
"Gladly," said Sir Turquaine. "Before long you will be sorry for
your challenge."
Then the two rode at each other. Their horses' feet beat the dust
into clouds, and they used their swords so fiercely that their
armor rang continually like the clanging of heavy bells. They
fought until they were breathless, each bleeding from many
wounds. Then Sir Turquaine, leaning on his sword, said:
"By my faith, never have I fought with such a strong man before.
I admire you, and I would be your friend. You fight as they say
that knight does whom I hate most in all this world. If you are
not that knight, I give you my friendship, and shall free all my
prisoners for your sake."
"That is well said," replied Sir Lancelot. "Tell me who this
knight is whom you hate so much."
"He is Sir Lancelot of the Lake. For hatred of him, I kill or
imprison all the knights of the Round Table whom I can find."
"Then let us begin to fight again," said Sir Lancelot, "for I am
Sir Lancelot of the Lake."
Then they struck at each other furiously, and soon gave each
other so many wounds that the ground was covered with blood. Sir
Turquaine was a brave man, but he was not so strong as Sir
Lancelot. After a long conflict he fell, mortally wounded, to the
ground. Then Sir Lancelot unlaced his helmet and eased him as
well as he could till he died. Afterwards he left Sir Turquaine,
and went to the porter who held the keys of the castle.
Sir Lancelot took the keys and unlocked the doors of the prison.
He led the poor knights out into the daylight and struck off
their chains. Sir Lionel and Sir Hector were overjoyed to see
that their deliverer was indeed Sir Lancelot. Each knight found
his own armor in the armory, and his own horse in the stables.
After that a servant came with four horses laden down with
venison, and the poor knights, who for a long time had had
nothing but bread and water, enjoyed a good meal. Then Sir
Lancelot rode away in search of new adventures.
[Illustration: The Holy Grail]
[Illustration] HOW SIR LANCELOT SAVED THE QUEEN
One day in May Queen Guinevere invited ten ladies and ten knights
to ride a-Maying with her the next morning in the woods. So at
the appointed time they assembled, all dressed in green silk and
green velvet, the color of young grass. The knights wore white
plumes in their helmets, and the ladies wore white May-blossoms
in their hair. They rode off very happily, telling the king that
they would return before noon.
Now the good King Bagdemagus, for whom Sir Lancelot had fought,
had a bad son named Sir Malgrace. For a long time he had wanted
to capture the queen and carry her off to his castle. He had been
afraid to try, however, because of her large bodyguard. All the
young knights of the Round Table liked to ride with her and
protect her. They took good care of all the ladies of the Court,
but they loved the queen most.
When Sir Malgrace heard that the queen was out a-Maying with only
a few knights, and these not fully armed, he determined to take
her prisoner. So he called together eighty men-at-arms and a
hundred archers, and set out. Soon he came upon her and her
attendants. They were sitting on a little hill, with wreaths of
flowers and leaves on their arms and necks. Before they could
rise to their feet, Sir Malgrace and his men dashed upon them.
"Traitor!" cried the queen. "What would you do?"
"I will carry you to my castle, fair queen," he said. "And never
again shall you go free."
"I will not go with you," said the queen.
Then the ten knights drew their swords and set on the hundred and
eighty men of Sir Malgrace. They fought so well that they
overthrew forty. Still, they could do little against such
numbers, and soon all were wounded. When the queen saw this, she
cried out:
"Sir Malgrace, do not slay my noble knights, and I will go with
you. I would rather die than cause them further harm."
The knights said that they would rather perish than be prisoners
to Sir Malgrace. However, upon an order from their lord, the
archers tied up the wounds of the queen's followers, and put them
on horseback. Then the whole company rode slowly towards the
castle of Sir Malgrace.
Sir Malgrace kept close to the queen for fear she would escape.
Once when they were in a thick part of the wood he rode ahead to
break the branches so that they should not strike her face. Then
the queen whispered to a little maiden who rode near her:
"If you can do so, slip away from the company. You are so small
that perhaps they will not notice you. Take this ring and give it
to our greatest knight, Sir Lancelot, and pray him to come and
rescue me."
The little maid waited until she thought the time for escape had
come, and rode off as quietly as she could. Sir Malgrace saw her
go, and suspected that the queen had sent her. He ordered his
archers to shoot at the child, but she escaped unhurt.
"Madam," said Sir Malgrace to the queen, "I know well that you
have sent for Sir Lancelot, but you may be sure that hither he
shall never come."
Then Sir Malgrace ordered his archers to stand guard on the road
and shoot down any knight they saw.
"But if he should be Sir Lancelot," he said, "be sure that you do
not venture very close to him, for he is hard to overcome."
Meantime the little maid reached Arthur's Court in safety. She
found the king and his knights very anxious because the queen had
not returned. She told her story, and gave the queen's ring to
Sir Lancelot.
"Bring me my armor!" shouted Sir Lancelot. "I will rescue my good
and dear queen before the night falls. I would rather see her
safe here again than own all France."
He put on his armor and mounted his white horse and rode off
without delay. The little maid led him to the place where the ten
knights had fought with the hundred and eighty. From this point
he traced them by the blood on the grass and on the road. At last
he reached the archers.
"Turn back," they said. "No one may pass here."
"That I will not," said Sir Lancelot. "I am a Knight of the Round
Table, and therefore have the right of way throughout the land."
At that they shot their arrows at him. He was wounded with many
of them, and his white horse was killed. Sir Lancelot tried to
reach the men, but there were so many hedges and ditches in the
way that he could not. They hastened back to tell Sir Malgrace
that a knight whom they had not succeeded in killing was coming
to the castle.
Sir Lancelot tried to walk, but his armor was too heavy for him
to carry in his wounded state. He dared not leave any of it
behind, for he would need it all in fighting. Just as he was
wondering what he could do, a carter passed him, driving a rough
wagon.
"Carter," said Sir Lancelot, "let me ride in your wagon to the
castle of Sir Malgrace."
The carter was amazed, for in that day a knight never entered
into a cart unless he was a condemned man going to be hanged. Sir
Lancelot, however, did not stop to explain. He jumped into the
cart and told the driver to go quickly.
Some of the ladies of Queen Guinevere were looking out of their
window, and one said to her:
"See, my queen, there is a poor knight going to be hanged."
The queen looked out of the window and recognized Sir Lancelot by
the three lions blazoned upon his shield. She was overjoyed, and
waved him a glad greeting as he came up to the castle gate.
Sir Lancelot beat on the gate with his shield, and cried:
"Come out, false traitor, Sir Malgrace; come out and fight. If
you do not, you will be branded as a coward forever."
At first Sir Malgrace thought that he would keep his gates shut
fast and not answer the challenge. But in those days it was a
sign of great cowardice not to accept a challenge. Moreover,
since Sir Lancelot had been able to reach the castle in spite of
the archers, he was afraid other knights of the Round Table might
do the same. Then they would besiege him and force him to
surrender. Still he was afraid to fight. So he went to Queen
Guinevere and said:
"Fair queen, remember how I saved your ten knights when I could
have killed them. Now I am sorry I took you prisoner. I beg that
you will go to Sir Lancelot and urge him not to fight. Then I
will entertain him in this castle with the best I have, and
to-morrow you shall all go back to the court."
Then the queen said:
"Peace is always better than war. I will do the best I can."
So she went down to Sir Lancelot, who still beat upon the gate,
and besought him to come in peaceably, for Sir Malgrace was
sorry for what he had done. Sir Lancelot was unwilling, for he
knew that Sir Malgrace was a traitor, deserving punishment.
Still, he could not refuse the queen anything she asked him, and,
therefore, he entered the castle.
Sir Malgrace greeted him with politeness, and served to him and
to the others of Arthur's Court, a great banquet. After that, to
the surprise of everyone, he rose and accused the queen of
treason. All the company was astonished. Sir Lancelot was very
angry.
"If you say the queen is a traitress," he cried, "you shall fight
with me, although you were afraid just now."
"I am not afraid to fight," said Sir Malgrace.
"When and where will you meet me in combat?" asked Sir Lancelot.
"In eight days," replied Sir Malgrace, "in the field near
Westminster."
Sir Lancelot agreed to this. Then Queen Guinevere rose with all
her attendants and went into the courtyard. Their horses were
brought them and they mounted. Sir Lancelot was the last to pass
out of the banquet hall. As he was going through the door he
stepped upon a trap which Sir Malgrace had prepared for him. The
trapdoor fell and dropped him into a dark dungeon.
When the queen and her knights and ladies had ridden out of the
courtyard, they noticed that Sir Lancelot was not with them. They
supposed, however, that he had ridden off by himself, as was
often his custom, so they went without him to Camelot, and told
the king what had happened. He was very angry at Sir Malgrace's
accusation, but he was sure that Sir Lancelot would punish Sir
Malgrace, and so vindicate Queen Guinevere.
Meantime, the unhappy Sir Lancelot lay bruised in the dungeon,
feeling very sure that Sir Malgrace meant to starve him to death.
He lay hungry and thirsty for nearly two days. Then Sir Malgrace
peeped in to see if he were dead.
"Ah, traitor!" cried Sir Lancelot, "I shall overcome you yet."
At that Sir Malgrace shut the trapdoor hastily, as if he were
afraid that Sir Lancelot could leap up ten feet in the air. That
one look, however, cost the wicked knight dear, for the daughter
of the porter saw him shutting the trapdoor, and was curious to
know who was in the dungeon. So at night she opened the trapdoor
and let herself down by a rope.
When she saw Sir Lancelot she was very sorry for him. He offered
her much money if she would free him. At last she said:
"I will do it for love of Queen Guinevere and not for money."
She let him climb up by the rope, and took him out of the
courtyard. He was so sick that he went to a hermit's hut and
rested for several days. When next Sir Malgrace looked into the
dungeon he heard no movement. Then he rejoiced greatly, for he
thought Sir Lancelot was dead.
When the eighth day had come, all the knights of the Round Table
assembled in the tournament field and waited for Sir Lancelot to
appear. They all thought he would surely come. But Sir Malgrace
rode jauntily about the field. Many of the knights wondered at
his courage, not knowing the reason for his confidence.
The herald blew his trumpet once, but Sir Lancelot did not
appear; twice, and still he did not come. Then up started several
knights and begged the king to let them fight instead of Sir
Lancelot.
"He has been trapped," they said, "or he would be here."
While the king was hesitating whom to choose, in rode Sir
Lancelot. He dashed up to Sir Malgrace.
"Here I am, traitor," he said. "Now do your worst."
Then they fought, but at the first stroke Sir Malgrace fell to
the earth.
"Mercy!" he cried, "I yield to you, Sir Knight. Do not slay me. I
put myself in the king's hands and yours."
Sir Lancelot was much vexed. He wanted to kill Sir Malgrace for
his treachery, and yet, since the man had asked for mercy, he
could not. So he said:
"What, coward, would you stop already? Shame upon you! Get up and
fight."
"I shall not rise unless you take me as one who has yielded,"
answered the knight.
Then Sir Lancelot said:
"Traitor, I make you this offer: I will take off my helmet, unarm
my left side, and tie my left hand behind my back. In that way I
will fight with you."
Upon hearing this, Sir Malgrace rose to his feet, sure now of
killing Sir Lancelot.
"My lord King," cried Sir Malgrace, "you have heard this offer. I
accept."
The king was very sorry that Sir Lancelot had made the offer.
However, it was impossible to withdraw it. A squire came and
disarmed Sir Lancelot, so that his head and left side were
without cover; and since he had only one arm to fight with, he
could not use his shield.
Then Sir Malgrace dashed at him, aiming for his left side. Sir
Lancelot waited till he was very near, and then lightly stepped
aside. Before Sir Malgrace could turn, Sir Lancelot lifted his
spear and struck his enemy such a blow that he broke his
breastplate and pierced his heart.
The body of Sir Malgrace was carried off the field and taken to
the castle of his good father; Queen Guinevere was proclaimed
innocent of treason; and Sir Lancelot was honored more than ever
by his king and his queen.
[Illustration: The Two Horses]
[Illustration] SIR LANCELOT AND ELAINE
Every year King Arthur's knights held a grand tournament among
themselves, and contended in friendly combat for a prize. This
prize was a diamond.
Once, in the early days of his kingship, Arthur was walking on a
craggy hill, when he came upon the skeleton of a man who had once
been a ruler. The skull still wore a gold crown set with nine
large diamonds. King Arthur took the crown and had the diamonds
unset. Each year at the friendly tournament he gave one of these
diamonds as a prize.
There had been eight tournaments, and at each Sir Lancelot had
won the diamond. The jewel that was to be given as a prize at the
ninth tournament was the largest and most beautiful of all.
Everyone, of course, expected that Sir Lancelot would win it, but
only a few days before the contest he announced to the king that
he would not compete.
Then the queen was vexed, for she loved Sir Lancelot more than
all the other knights, and it gave her great joy to see him
always successful in the tournaments. Therefore she urged him to
change his decision.
"My queen," he said, "I told the king I would not fight."
The queen replied:
"My advice is that you go in disguise. The knights who contest
with you do so but half-heartedly, for they know your great fame
and feel sure of failure. If they did not know who you were, they
would fight better and win more glory for themselves. Then fight
as a stranger knight, and afterwards explain to the king."
Sir Lancelot took her advice. He rode away over the woods and
hills till he came to the castle of Astolat, where he decided to
stop and ask for a disguise. He knocked on the gate, which was
opened by an old dumb servant, and entered the courtyard. The
lord of Astolat came to meet him with his two sons, Sir Torre and
Sir Lavaine, and his beautiful daughter Elaine. The lord of the
castle said:
"Fair sir, whoever you are, you are welcome. You seem to me much
like a Knight of the Round Table."
"That I am," said Sir Lancelot. "Hereafter I will tell you my
name; at present I wish to remain unknown. I must enter the
coming tournament as an unknown knight, and I should like to
leave with you my great shield, for it is as well known in
Camelot as I. Will you keep it and lend me another one?"
Then answered the Lord of Astolat:
"You may take the shield of my son Torre. He was hurt in his
first tournament, and has not been able to fight since. My son
Lavaine will gladly go with you to the tournament. Perhaps,"
added the lord, laughing, "he can win the diamond, and put it in
his sister Elaine's hair."
"Nay, father, do not make me ashamed before this noble knight,"
said the young Lavaine. "I know I can never win the diamond for
Elaine, but I can at least do my best to fight."
"Gladly will I take you for a companion," said Sir Lancelot, "and
if you can, win the diamond for this fair maiden."
"Such a diamond," said Sir Torre, "is fit for a queen, and not
for a simple girl."
Sir Lancelot smiled to himself. He was sure that he should win
the diamond. Then he meant to give it with the eight others to
Queen Guinevere. He spoke kindly, however, to the beautiful
Elaine.
"In truth, this fair maiden is fit to be a queen."
Then Elaine lifted her eyes and looked at him. He was twice as
old as she was. His face was cut and scarred with wounds which he
had received in battle, but as she looked at him, she loved him,
and felt that she would continue to love him till the day of her
death.
They went into the great hall where a supper was laid. Sir
Lancelot talked of King Arthur and his goodness and all his
glorious deeds. Elaine thought that even Arthur could not be so
brave as this wonderful lord. All night long she dreamed of him.
In the morning she rose early and went down in the courtyard
where Sir Lancelot and Sir Lavaine were mounting their horses.
"Fair lord," she said boldly to Sir Lancelot, "will you wear my
token in your helmet?"
Then said Sir Lancelot:
"Fair maiden, I have never worn favor nor token for any lady in
the tournaments. This is well known to be my custom."
"But if you wear my token," she said, "there will be far less
likelihood of your being known by your fellow knights."
"That is very true, my child," he said. "Bring it to me. What is
it?"
She held it out to him; it was a red sleeve embroidered with
pearls. Sir Lancelot bound it in his helmet and said:
"I have never done so much before for any maiden."
[Illustration: _"She staid near it all day long in the turret"_]
Then he and Sir Lavaine bade Elaine farewell, and the beautiful
maiden ran up to the tower of the castle and watched them from
the window for a long time. When they were out of sight she asked
the old dumb servant to carry Sir Lancelot's shield to the tower.
It was a large shield of silver, with three lions emblazoned upon
it in gold and blue, but its polished surface was covered with
dents and scratches. Elaine knelt before it, and made a story for
each scratch and mark, picturing to herself the contests in which
the good shield had taken part. For many weeks she stayed near it
all day long in the turret, watching for Sir Lancelot and her
brother to return.
Meanwhile those two had ridden lightly to Camelot, and when they
were almost there, Sir Lancelot told Sir Lavaine his name. The
young man was astonished. He was very happy, too, to think that
he was a companion to the great knight of whom he had heard so
often.
When Sir Lancelot and Sir Lavaine arrived at the field where the
tournament was to be held, they stood looking at the king, who
sat upon the great carved chair which had dragons' heads for the
arms and the back. On his red robe was embroidered a golden
dragon, and a golden dragon was also on his crown. Above him, set
in a canopy, was the ninth diamond. All about the king to left
and right were rows of ladies whose robes gave to the pavilion in
which they sat the brilliant hues of the rainbow.
Sir Lancelot said to young Sir Lavaine:
"Look at the king. You think I am great, but he is greater than
I. I can fight better than he can, but his soul is greater than
mine. Aim to become a Knight of the Round Table, and follow the
example of goodness which Arthur sets for his knights."
At this moment the trumpets blew as a signal that the tournament
was to begin. The knights spurred their horses forward, and in a
moment their spears and shields clashed. Sir Lancelot rode
lightly here and there, overthrowing everyone with whom he
contested. All wondered at the skill of this unknown knight. Then
Sir Lancelot's kinsmen, his nephew, Sir Lionel, and others, were
angry and jealous.
"Our Sir Lancelot should be here," they said, "to overcome this
stranger knight."
"Perhaps this is Sir Lancelot," said one. "Two knights cannot
fight so well in this world. It must be Sir Lancelot."
"No, no," said the others; "Sir Lancelot would never wear a
lady's favor, and this knight wears a red sleeve embroidered with
pearls. Let us set on this man and teach him that if Sir Lancelot
is not here, we, his kinsmen, will fight for his fame."
Then all together they bore down on Sir Lancelot. His horse went
down in the shock, and he himself was wounded. A spear had
pierced his breastplate and snapped off in his side.
Young Sir Lavaine rushed to help Sir Lancelot. The great knight
rose slowly and, with the help of his friend, drove back his kith
and kin to the far side of the field. Then sounded a great blare
of trumpets, and the king proclaimed the stranger knight victor.
"Come forward," the herald cried, "and take your diamond."
But poor Sir Lancelot said:
"Talk not to me of diamonds. Give me air. I fear me I have
received my death wound. Let me go hence, and I bid you follow me
not."
Sir Lavaine helped him upon his horse, and they two rode slowly
off the field. When they were near the neighboring forest the
great knight fell from his horse and cried:
"Pull forth the spear-head which is in my side."
"Oh, my lord," said Sir Lavaine, "I am afraid you will die if I
draw it forth."
"I shall die if you leave it," said Sir Lancelot.
So Sir Lavaine drew it forth quickly, causing Sir Lancelot to
faint from the pain. Then a hermit who lived near by came to
them, and bore the wounded knight into his hut, where for many a
week Sir Lancelot lay between life and death.